Basic Overview of Funding Opportunities at the Institute of Education Sciences

1. Basic Overview of Funding Opportunities at the Institute of Education Sciences Elizabeth R. Albro, Ph.D. Acting Commissioner National Center for Education Research Carol O’Donnell, Ed.D. Program Officer National Center for Education Research

2. Legislative Mission of IES Describe the condition and progress of education in the United States Identify education practices that improve academic achievement and access to education opportunities Evaluate the effectiveness of Federal and other education programs

3. Organizational Structure Office of the Director National Board for Education Sciences Standards & Review Office National Center for Education Research National Center for Education Statistics National Center for Education Evaluation National Center for Special Education Research

4. Missions of the Research Centers • NCER • supports rigorous research that addresses the nation’s most pressing education needs, from early childhood to adult education • NCSER • sponsors a rigorous and comprehensive program of special education research designed to expand the knowledge and understanding of infants, toddlers, and students with or at risk for disabilities from birth through high school

5. Quick Overview of Current Research InvestmentS

6. NCER Investments by Competition

7. NCSER Investments by Competition

8. What Are the FY 2013 Funding Opportunities?

9. How to Identify Funding Opportunities Begin at the IES website (http://ies.ed.gov/funding) Sign up for the IES Newsflash Funding Opportunities are announced in The Federal Register Review current Requests for Applications Contact relevant Program Officer(s) for the topic(s) of interest in the relevant Center

10. http://ies.ed.gov

14. How to Identify Appropriate Grant Programs • Read the Request for Applications • Review announced topics and methodological requirements • Look at abstracts of projects funded under a research topic or program • http://ies.ed.gov/ncer/projects • http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects

15. Education Research Topics (84.305A) • Cognition and Student Learning • Early Learning Programs and Policies • Education Technology • Effective Teachers & Effective Teaching • English Learners • Improving Education Systems: Policies, Organization, Management, and Leadership • Mathematics and Science Education • Postsecondary and Adult Education • Reading and Writing • Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning

16. Special Education Research Topics (84.324A) Autism Spectrum Disorders Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education Families of Children with Disabilities Mathematics and Science Education Professional Development for Teachers and Related Service Providers Reading, Writing, and Language Development Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems Technology for Special Education Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with Disabilities

17. A Quick Internet Tour • A researcher is interested in applying for a grant to develop an online pre-algebra tutor. • What research program should the researcher apply to? • What goal should the researcher apply to?

18. FY2013 Research Goals Exploration Development & Innovation Efficacy & Replication Effectiveness Measurement

19. Exploration Goal • Explore associations between education outcomes and malleable factors • Identify factors and conditions that may mediate or moderate relations between malleable factors and student outcomes • Possible methodological approaches include: • Analyze secondary data • Collect primary data • Complete a meta-analysis

20. Development & Innovation Goal Development process must be iterative! • ANDcollect data on its feasibility and usability in actual education settings • ANDcollect pilot data on student outcomes. Develop an innovative intervention (e.g., curriculum, instructional approach, program, or policy) ORimprove existing education interventions

21. Efficacy & Replication Goal Evaluate whether or not a fully developed intervention is efficacious under limited or ideal conditions OR Gather follow-up data examining the longer term effects of an intervention with demonstrated efficacy OR Replicate an efficacious intervention varying the original conditions

22. Efficacy & Replication Goal Ask what might be needed to implement intervention under routine practice Reduce appearance of conflict of interest for developer-evaluators Do not require confirmatory mediator analyses but recommend exploratory ones NCSER also accepts efficacy studies that propose single case experimental designs

23. Effectiveness Goal Evaluate whether a fully developed intervention that has evidence of efficacy is effective when implemented under typical conditions through an independent evaluation Prior to submitting an effectiveness proposal, at least two efficacy studies of the intervention with beneficial and practical impacts on student outcomes must have been completed

24. Effectiveness Goal • IES expects researchers to: • Implement intervention under routine practice • Include Evaluators independent of development/distribution • Describe strong efficacy evidence for intervention • Does not expect wide generalizability from a single study • Expects multiple Effectiveness projects to this end • Sample size is not a key distinction from Efficacy • Does not require confirmatory mediator analyses but encourages exploratory ones • Cost of implementation is limited to 25% of budget

25. Measurement Goal Development of new assessments or refinement of existing assessments, and the validation of these assessments OR Validation of existing assessments for specific purposes, contexts and populations

26. NCER Grants by Goal

27. NCSER Grants by Goal

28. Maximum Award Amounts (84.305A & 84.324A)

29. Additional FY 2013 Research Programs

30. Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences (84.305B) Postdoctoral Research Training Program Researcher & Policymaker Training Program in the Education Sciences

31. Postdoctoral Research Training Program For institutions to establish postdoctoral training programs to train researchers in the skills necessary to conduct the type of research that the Institute funds

32. Researcher and Policymaker Training Program in the Education Sciences • Researcher Training • To provide opportunities for current education researchers to maintain and upgrade their methodological skills  • Policymaker Training • To share evidence from rigorous education research with education practitioners and policymakers working on a specific program or policy 

33. Research Training Program in Special Education (84.324B) • Early Career Development and Mentoring • Provides new investigators support to further develop methodological, content, and grant writing expertise needed to develop a strong line of research that includes federal funding • Requires identification of mentor at time of application • Requires a research plan and career development plan

34. Accelerating the Academic Achievement of Students with Learning Disabilities Research Initiative (84.324D) To develop and evaluate interventions (e.g., instructional approaches, curricula, technology) to accelerate reading and math achievement of students with or at risk for reading and math disabilities in Grades 3 through 8 Will create tightly linked network of researchers across variety of disciplines who will work collaboratively to address problem

35. Statistical and Research Methodology in Education (84.305D) Research projects intended to expand and improve the methodological and statistical tools available for education researchers These tools will be used to improve the design of research studies, analysis of research data, and interpretation of research findings

36. Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies (84.305E) Support for rigorous evaluations of education programs or policies that are paid for and implemented by State or local education agencies Evaluations are to determine both the overall impact of the programs/policies and the impact across a variety of conditions

37. Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research (84.305H) Intended to support the partnering of researchers with State and local education agencies in the development of joint research projects

38. Award Parameters (84.305B-H & 84.324B-D)

39. Now That You’ve Decided to apply, what’s next?

40. Contact Relevant Program Officers Then, Contact a Program Officer Program Officers are associated with competitions and/or topics Contact information is included at the end of each RFA Contact information is also available on each of the program pages on the IES website

41. Submit a Letter of Intent • Letters of Intent (LOIs) are important, but not required • LOIs are submitted electronically • https://iesreview.ed.gov • We encourage all researchers to submit LOIs • 4/19/12 for June applications • 7/19/12 for September applications

42. Application Due Dates • Applications are accepted twice a year. • For FY 2013, applications are due: • June 21, 2012 • September 20, 2012 • We do NOT accept late applications • The authorized representative at your institution (not the PI) actually submits the grant to IES

43. Important Dates and Deadlines

44. Finding Application Packages • FY 2013 Application Packages will be available on www.grants.gov

46. Review Application Requirements • Request for Applications • Currently available at http://ies.ed.gov/funding • Grants.gov Application Submission Guide • Will be available 4/19/12 for June deadline at http://ies.ed.gov/funding • Application Package • Will be available on Grants.gov on 4/19/12 for June deadline

47. Peer Review Process Applications are reviewed for compliance and responsiveness to the RFA Applications that are compliant and responsive are assigned to a review panel Two or three panel members conduct a primary review of each application At panel meeting, the most competitive applications are reviewed by full panel

48. Resources for Researchers Visit links for faculty and researchers on IES website Review past webinars, and participate in future webinars for the FY 2013 competitions

49. http://ies.ed.gov/resourcesforresearchers.asp

50. Help Us Help You • Read the Request for Applications carefully • Call or e-mail IES Program Officers early in the process • As time permits, IES program staff can review draft proposals and provide feedback Don’t be afraid to contact us!